Primary Objectives

Primary objectives were those deemed critical to accomplish in order for the project to be useful after the end of the graduate project. Since the project had long term use potential but was being created and designed within the finite time-frame of a masters degree, the primary objectives represented the minimum amount to be accomplished, to allow for future use of the project.

1. Create a protocol which would allow users to identify the stranded marine animals they encountered on the beach. This protocol needed to have clear and accurate information to aid in identification, as well as some means of recording and reporting that information. The protocol was to be created in both English and Spanish and available as a free document for users.

2. Build a database for past data that has been collected, as well as for future data collected with the protocol. The database, at the minimum, needs to be functional in English to the point where a user can log in, and query for and download specific data, which they can then use for their own comparison purposes.

3. Perform a summative evaluation of the protocol if possible, and evaluate users’ ability to identify species correctly and report accurate information

4. Create a smartphone application (for one of the two major smartphone platforms, iOS or Android) containing the same information and identification capabilities of the physical protocol document. The app is also in English and Spanish, and free to the public.